Oliver Ames skates past Brockton in defensive battle

It is normally thought of as a nailbiter when a game of ice hockey ends with a 2-1 score.

That was not the case, however, in Monday’s game between Oliver Ames and Brockton high schools, as the Tigers kept control for the better part of the game for a win that was easier than the final score indicated.

The matchup turned out to be a defensive struggle between two shorthanded and injury-depleted teams. Both goalies played exceptionally well, and Brockton’s goalkeeper, Chris Samaras, made only two miscues in a game in which his team could not keep the Tigers away from the net.

Samaras’ first mistake came at the very outset of the game when Oliver Ames’ Robbie Martin scored with only 1:54 off the clock. That early lead was all the Tigers really needed, and their defense took over from there, keeping the Boxers away from the OA net for the better part of the game.

“It’s a big change for us, because we’ve had a lot of games where we’ve given up goals on the first shift,” Oliver Ames coach Bob Gallagher said about getting the early advantage. “Live and learn. They’ve understood the importance of being the aggressor, being the one to set the tone early with a lot of emotion, speed and intensity.”

After Martin’s goal, both teams’ defenses stepped up, yet Brockton’s offensive attack stalled. It appeared more likely that the Tigers would widen their lead rather than the Boxers tie the score. Oliver Ames was getting numerous opportunities, keeping the puck on the Brockton side of the ice and winning the shots-on-goal battle.

“Yes, we did,” Gallagher said about his team getting more opportunities than Brockton. “We made a commitment in practice this week. A lot of shooting drills, a lot of shots between defensemen. Just getting the shots on net, we tried to crash the goaltender and screen the goaltender and make sure that that was the priority. We told the boys that the more shooting and crashing and screening that happens, the more chances we’re going to have for a quality game. We saw that tonight with the first goal, especially.”

Said Brockton coach Jim Connors: “I thought during the second period, especially, that we were outplayed and the ice was lopsided. Chris (Samaras) took a lot of shots, but we also had a couple of penalties, and our players got tired and got trapped in the zone. But Chris held the fort down for us.”

As the game went on, the Tigers started getting more and more opportunities. The Boxers were caught with several penalties, giving Oliver Ames power play opportunities. Thanks to Samaras and the rest of Brockton’s defense, the score remained the same, as Brockton was able to keep the Tigers’ offense in check.

“We’ve been able to get the shorthand and special teams going,’’ said Connors. “We’ve focused on that and try not to give up goals. The kids are really doing a lot better in that aspect.”

In the third period, the Boxers began to play with more intensity and put some pressure on Tigers goalie David Rapp. Rapp. however, fought off the Brockton offense long enough for Brian Ducey to score an insurance goal with one minute left.

The Boxers tried to score two quick goals and succeeded in getting one, a shot by Matt Sliney with 34 seconds left. But time ran out and the Tigers had pulled off a solid victory.

“It was a big win for us,” Gallagher said. “We’ve come up with three big wins in the past 10 days or so, and our defense has really stepped up.”

Said Connors: “Our defense played great tonight. We just made two mental mistakes, and it cost us the game.”

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